Forgive A Bicker
by Ivory Novelist
Summary: A Random one piecer of AL fluff...No slash, you know the drill....


Disclaimer: Belongs to Tolkein, not me.  
  
A/N: Wheeeeeeee! A random and short one-piecer. Fluff. Hee.  
  
~*~  
  
.:Forgive A Bicker:.  
  
//" Natha dagad thaer! "// the Elf cried out sharply.*They are all  
going to die.*  
  
" Then I will die as one of them! ", the ranger snapped. He turned  
away and didn't give the Elf a second look. Legolas made to go after him,  
yet the Dwarf stopped him.  
  
" Let him go, lad. Let him be ", Gimli said good-naturedly. But  
the Elf would have none of it. He broke away from Gimli. " I cannot let  
this end here ", he said as he followed. Gimli shook his head and only  
hoped it did not explode into something bigger.  
  
As Aragorn stalked off outside, Legolas quickly followed. Yet the  
ranger's hearing was far better than that of any ordinary human. He  
turned on his heal rapidly to face the Elf with a heated glare.  
  
" What the hell was that, Legolas? " he nearly shouted.  
  
" Why do you question me when you are the one who made such a comment?  
" the prince of Mirkwood replied.  
  
" I thought you were an Elf warrior, not a child who despairs ", the  
future king of Men said.  
  
Legolas stared at him stiffly, struck hard by the cutting words. His  
blue eyes glimmered with a fleeting light of mixed emotion. Could the  
ranger not see his reason? This was a hopeless fight. And the last thing  
the Elf could take was his best friend's death.  
  
" Perhaps you can trust to hope and posses blind faith, but I cannot  
draw into denial.  
Listen to reason, Aragorn. 300 against 10,000 and half of the ones we do  
have in our defense are hardly grown, much less soldiers. This is  
madness, Aragorn. You know it is, whether you acknowledge it or not ",  
the Elf said.  
  
" Silence ", Aragorn shouted, taking the Elf by surprise. He had  
hardly heard Aragorn take that tone of voice before, and least of all  
with him. He gave a slight jump and did not speak.  
  
" Your pessimism does not improve matters, Elf ", the ranger said.  
Legolas hid his pain at the way he had been so coldly addressed as 'Elf'.  
  
Neither spoke for a moment, Aragorn visibly in a bad mood, whilst the  
Elf's expression had now been reduced to that of confusion and hurt. He  
was not sure what to say or do. " Aragorn." he began quietly.  
  
" Honor my wish and stay away from me, Legolas ", Aragorn said  
icily.  
  
The Elf prince was taken aback by this.  
  
" I will proceed to aid my people. You may go or stay, I care not ",  
the ranger added. Aragorn turned away and left, immediately regretting  
his rash words. He did not miss the lost expression upon his best  
friend's face. But his pride overrode his regret and he did not turn  
back.  
  
Legolas remained where he stood for a while, frozen in complete and  
flummoxed surprise. He felt as if the world was crumbling beneath him.  
Inside, he was wilting.  
His eyes stared after the figure of Aragorn even after the man had  
vanished, wide and glassy. He was not aware that his shoulders trembled.  
He only felt the clenching pain in his chest and the burning lump in his  
throat. He dropped his head and his eyes strayed lost as he realized he  
his best friend, the one he called brother and loved that deeply, had  
broken their ties. He quivered inside as he felt the loss of his soul-  
bonded.  
Away he wandered, allowing his subconscious to lead him where it would  
and not caring where that was.  
  
The Elf lay still on his temporary bed in one of the cramped rooms  
there had been left to spare. There was no window, unfortunately, so he  
only stared with burning eyes at the stone of the wall, with his back to  
the door. This was where his feet had led him. His eyes glistened and he  
fought to keep from shaking. He had to pull himself together. The battle,  
hopeless as it was, would begin soon enough. Despite the pointlessness of  
it, he was staying put and fighting. He could not leave Aragorn, whether  
the ranger was still his best friend or not.  
  
" Lad? " Gimli's voice broke the silence of the room as the Dwarf  
opened the door quietly. When no response was gathered from the Elf, he  
voiced his concern.  
  
" Are you all right? " he queried.  
  
" 'Tis nothing, Gimli ", he said with an empty tone.  
  
" It doesn't sound like nothing ", Gimli remarked. " I haven't seen  
Aragorn lately. Is all well with you two again? "  
  
" I know not ", the Elf replied, strangled.  
  
The Dwarf paused for a moment, not knowing whether to stay or to go, to  
ask or to wonder, to interfere or leave it alone.  
  
" Well, I'll be back, lad. Something needs my attention ", he said in a  
pensive sort of way. Legolas did not answer and the Dwarf took this as  
leave to go.  
  
Finally, Gimli came upon Aragorn in the armory. The ranger was  
preparing himself for battle hastily, still not in a good mood.  
  
" Aragorn ", the Dwarf said. The man looked up for a fleeting moment.  
  
" Hello, Gimli ", he replied as he fastened his belt.  
  
" Something went wrong with the Elf ", Gimli said in a tone of voice  
which implicated that he knew it as a fact and also that he wished to  
know more from Aragorn. The man sighed in exasperation.  
  
" Indeed ", he muttered.  
  
" Well, put aside your petty quarrel and move on already ", Gimli  
exclaimed.  
  
" I'm afraid it's not that simple ", Aragorn said and his hauberk slid on with a slight jingle.  
  
" How could it be more complicated? " the Dwarf questioned incredulously. " You bickered over odds. Now go to him and end this. "  
  
" In case you haven't taken notice, I am bit preoccupied at the moment ", the ranger dismissed.  
  
" Too preoccupied for your best friend? " Gimli countered.  
  
Aragorn did not answer for a while. He sighed in resignation finally.  
  
" May I come in? " asked Aragorn as he knocked on the door to the room that had been given to Legolas, Gimli, and him. The Elf, whose back was turned to the door and thusly the man, did not speak nor move. Aragorn hesitated a moment, before stepping in and shutting the door inconspicuously. He paused for a while, trying to find the words.  
  
" Legolas ", he began. " Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Forgive me. I was wrong to take offense."  
  
The Elf said nothing and did not give any indication as to being alive. Aragorn sighed.  
  
" What more do you want? I will not grovel and beg. I apologize. Please forgive me ", he pleaded.  
  
" It is forgiven ", said the Elf without turning to look at the ranger, with a stoical tone.  
  
" Legolas, what is wrong? " the ranger queried. He could not understand.  
  
" The battle awaits you. A single Elf is of no importance compared to one's kindred ", Legolas said flatly. This time it was Aragorn who was taken aback. How could he have been so stupid? He should have known the prince would take his every word to heart.  
  
" Legolas ", he murmured as he strode forward, sat upon the edge of the bed, and took the archer in his arms. " You are my kindred, my brother. Please, please forgive me for what I said. I did not mean it. "  
  
He stroked the golden hair as Legolas wordlessly buried his face in the ranger's chest, clutching at his sleeve.  
  
" I was rash and angry. I did not mean to hurt you, to bring you pain. Our friendship will never die. You know that. I know I wounded you, and I regret that with everything I am. Eru, you must have been dying inside ", he gasped as he held Legolas closer to him. The Elf's tears were lost in the ranger's garments, as Aragorn soothed him with gentle caresses of the Elf's back while he cradled him. 


End file.
